


Vengeance, Part 2: Aftermath

by stargatefan_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-01-23
Updated: 2003-01-23
Packaged: 2018-10-06 20:56:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10344399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stargatefan_archivist/pseuds/stargatefan_archivist
Summary: Spoilers:  Absolute power, Secrets, The devil you know, Legacy. Set immediately after Absolute Power (just pretend the rest of Season four didn’t happen)Content/Warning: Contains details of torture and attempted suicide.Summary:  The Tok’ra have rescued Daniel from Apophis, but will he recover?Author’s note: To make the story easier to read, those parts are in italics.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Yuma, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [Stargatefan.com](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Stargatefan.com). To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [StargateFan Archive Collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/StargateFan_Archive_Collection).

Vengeance, part 2: Aftermath

__

Again the darkness subsided, bringing forth colours and sounds. Familiar sounds, yet unfamiliar. He yearned for the darkness to return, it protected him, nurtured him, comforted him, kept him safe from the pain and hurt. 

"How long has this been going on?" General Hammond asked, watching as the line on the monitor nearest Daniel’s head began to move erratically. 

"It’s been happening on and off since last night, sir," the doctor replied. "He’s trying to wake up, but his body just isn’t ready." 

"Keep me informed." Hammond said over his shoulder as he left the room. 

Jack was stuck in traffic. He hated it and thumped the steering wheel in frustration. Doctor Frasier had ordered him home to get a good night’s sleep, even though they both knew that sleep was the one thing he wouldn’t get, but he thought better than to risk the wrath of the good doctor by returning to the base before sunrise. He didn’t belong out here, he belonged back at the base, he belonged in the infirmary. He belonged with Daniel. Daniel…Jack’s thoughts returned to the events of the past days. The hours spent frantically pacing outside the infirmary while the doctors struggled to keep Daniel alive while he underwent more and more surgery. Twice he’d died on the table, twice Janet and her team had worked miracles and brought him back. 

It had all started innocently enough, a beautiful new planet to explore, seemingly harmless, until out of thin air it seemed, Apophis and his Jaffa had attacked them. When they awoke Daniel was gone. Taken prisoner. Several days later the Tok’ra found him, barely alive and badly tortured. The initial medical examination had revealed severe concussion, burns, cuts, bruises, fractures, and worse, signs that Daniel had been heavily drugged and raped at least once. There had been massive internal injuries and loss of blood. No part of his body had escaped uninjured. 

Jack had paced the corridors of the SGC infirmary for hours. He was angry, angrier than he’d been in years. Sam Carter kept her distance, preferring to sit quietly on one of the chairs that lined the walls. Teal’c just stood rock still, watching his friend pace endlessly up and down. 

Several hours later Janet Frasier appeared. She looked exhausted, and close to tears. 

"How is Daniel Jackson" Teal’c asked. 

"Still with us," the doctor replied. "His condition is critical but he’s stable at last. He’s on life support at the moment, as he’s too weak to do very much for himself yet." 

"Will he recover?" Jack asked his hands clenching and unclenching. 

"Physically, I think so, yes. But emotionally, I couldn’t begin to say. Daniel’s injuries were very severe, his system is full of drugs, and he had been repeatedly tortured, he must have suffered terrible pain…" Jack dug his nails into the palms of his hands until they hurt. 

"Can we see him?" Sam asked. Janet smiled slightly. 

"For a few moments. I’ll take you to him, although he’s still unconscious, and heavily sedated." she replied, leading the way through the infirmary to the intensive care ward. 

The room was dimly lit, the only sounds coming from the various monitors and the ventilator. Daniel was lying flat on his back, his head slightly to one side, his body a mass of IV tubes and wiring which did little to hide the appalling injuries he had suffered. Sam, fighting back tears, reached out a hand and gently touched his cheek. Jack swore under his breath silently cursing whatever gods existed that had allowed his closest friend to suffer so terribly. Even the normally stoic Jaffa was not immune. 

After a few minutes, Janet moved to usher the visitors from the room, but as expected, Jack resisted. 

"I’m not leaving him," he stated flatly. Janet knew better than to argue with Jack O’Neill. The man had a tough exterior, but she knew that underneath all that gruff and bravado was a man of great feeling, especially where a certain young archaeologist was concerned. She left the room with the others, and returned a few moments later carrying a chair. Jack took the chair gratefully from Janet and placed it next to the bed. 

That had been four days ago, and Jack had been watching Daniel constantly, to the point of exhaustion, and would have continued to do so until Janet had ordered him off the base on medical grounds promising to contact him immediately if there was any change in Daniel’s condition. Janet had called half an hour ago, and here he was, stuck in traffic. 

After what had seemed like an eternity, he reached the base, parked his car and ran all the way to the elevator that would take him down to the infirmary. By the time he arrived he was out of breath. 

"Colonel!" Janet called. "I was just beginning to get worried." Jack glared at her, what was left of his patience was eroding away rapidly. "Daniel’s a little better this morning, and he’s been trying to wake up." Jack couldn’t hide the sense of relief he felt, he’d imagined the worst. He ran down the corridor to Daniel’s room, almost colliding with a nurse in the doorway as he arrived. 

He walked over to the chair and sat down, taking Daniel’s hand in his at the same time. He looked at his friend. He seemed peaceful enough. His physical wounds were healing, the bruises beginning to fade, he was breathing gently, with the ventilator. He was still covered in wires and tubes that were attached to the various monitors that surrounded the bed, but Janet had said the readings were showing a gradual improvement. But Jack wondered how Daniel would cope emotionally once he awoke. He’d been through so much in his life already. The deaths of his parents, the estrangement with his grandfather, delivering his wife Sha’re of another man’s child, then her loss, the short-lived reunion with Shi’fu. He’d been injured before, even killed on missions for the SGC, but this time it was different, this had been personal. Then there was Daniel’s relationship with the rest of SG-1, his family now, but would that be enough. He hoped it would be and absently squeezed Daniel’s hand, and was amazed to feel a light response. 

"Daniel?" he called out softly. He squeezed Daniel’s hand again, and was again rewarded with a gentle squeeze in return. He ran into the corridor and yelled for Janet. 

__

Once again the darkness subsided, but this time it didn’t return. Daniel began to panic. The noises around him grew louder, his eyelids fluttered open. The light was so bright it hurt. He couldn’t cope. Everything was so bright, so loud. He begged for the darkness to take him back. 

__

"Daniel?" a voice seemed to echo in his mind. Daniel. A name. His name? He felt something touch him and he tried to pull away, but it hurt to move. His breathing became ragged. Something was blocking his throat, choking him. What had they done to him? What were they doing to him? He reached his hand up to his mouth. 

"Daniel? It’s all right. It’s Janet. Can you hear me? You’re on a ventilator, you have a tube in your throat to help you breathe, don’t fight it." A blurred figure stood beside him. He heard another voice. It was familiar somehow. A bright light shone in his eyes. "Can you see the light Daniel?" the voice continued. He closed his eyes again. Giving himself gladly to the darkness that consumed him. "Can you squeeze my hand…?" 

"Well?" Jack asked impatiently. 

"He’s…OK…he’s responding, albeit very slowly, but responding none the less." 

That evening 

__

He slowly opened his eyes, and was immediately aware that someone was seated next to him. He turned his head and tried to look at who ever it was. Not a guard he decided, but rather someone he felt he should know well. His eyesight was still blurred, but he was breathing better he noticed. Whatever had been choking him had obviously been removed, and his head had been propped up on several pillows. Whatever experiment they had been performing on him was obviously finished. He looked around the room, at the tubes running into his wrists. One was red in colour, blood he guessed. The others were clear, more drugs he surmised. More experiments. He noticed the monitors, heard them beeping, tried to watch the displays. He closed his eyes. He couldn’t fight anymore. God what was happening?. Why wouldn’t Apophis let him die? 

"Danny?" a voice called gently. "Everything’s going to be OK, you’re home, you’re safe, try to take it easy." Again he looked at the person speaking. Jack. His name was Jack. He was his friend, or had been before… a hand reached out. He tried to back away, his eyes wide in terror. The hand withdrew. 

Jack watched the expression of panic on Daniel’s face. He wanted so much to give his friend a hug, just to let him know he was safe. He had a strange feeling about all this. "Daniel, do you know who I am?" he asked tentatively. Daniel looked at him, but said nothing. "Do you know where you are?" Jack continued softly. Again, silence 

"Problem Colonel?" Janet asked from the doorway. 

"He’s not responding. It’s like he doesn’t know me. Actually he seems frightened of me." Jack replied. 

"It’s not just you, he’s been that way with all of us. He’s been through a lot. His system is still full of drugs. Who knows what he’s seeing at the moment. The best thing to do is to keep him quiet, and let him sleep. I’m sure he’ll respond when he’s ready." 

Jack nodded. He hoped so. He remembered only too well the briefing at the end of the rescue mission. Representatives of the Tok’ra had been present, particularly those who had been involved in the rescue mission, and had told how Apophis had fed Daniel a cocktail of psychotropic drugs in an effort to make him talk, how he’d been given more drugs to increase the sensation of pain, to keep him aware while he was being brutalised. How Daniel had been locked in a room for days with the new First Prime, his tortured screams echoing along the corridors. How the guards posted outside would occasionally be invited to join in with whatever atrocities were being committed on the other side of the heavy door. How Apophis, and his closest aides watched the whole thing via a screen in his throne room. How the Tok’ra had found Daniel lying huddled naked in the corner of a large room. The room contained a bloodstained table in its centre, complete with restraints. The floor had been littered with a selection of gruesome looking instruments, also covered with blood. In a smaller room off to one side, there was a large bed. The coverings were also covered with blood. The people responsible had been killed on sight… 

By now, Jack had tuned out. It was all too much. He felt sick. He was angry that the Tok’ra who had been undercover had been unable, or unwilling to help Daniel. Damn them to hell! The briefing had ended with Janet Frasier’s report. General Hammond had ordered everyone to get some rest, but Jack knew neither he, nor any of his team would get much, if any. 

Two days later 

Daniel was still in the infirmary, and Janet was growing concerned. Physically he was recovering as well as could be expected, but his emotional state was causing concern. He was having problems taking food and drink, only accepting the bare minimum, and he was terribly withdrawn, not responding to anyone, even his closest friends. Any attempt to touch him resulted in him backing away in terror. He was tense, like a coiled spring waiting to be released. She was frightened the slightest thing could send him over the edge. She was in her office pondering on what to do when General Hammond walked in. 

"How’s our boy?" he asked. 

"Actually, sir, I need to talk to you about that. I’m very worried about him. Physically he’s responding well, and his injuries are healing, but as for his emotional state…he’s totally withdrawn into himself, not responding to anything, or anyone. I’m concerned that he may be heading for a severe mental breakdown." 

"He’s been through a lot, Doctor, perhaps with time…" 

"I hope so, sir. In the meantime, I’m keeping him lightly sedated, and I try to make sure someone is with him most of the time." 

"Suicide watch?" 

"Not exactly, just precautionary measures." 

The following morning 

__

He was sitting on the top of the bed, staring out into space. He’d been in "this place" for a few days now, people had been talking to him, but no questions had been asked about Shi’fu, and so far nobody had tried to hurt him. His injuries had been treated, and food and drink offered, and refused. Deep inside he knew Apophis was just biding his time. The food and drink were probably drugged, and it would only be a matter of time before he would be tortured again. All it needed was Apophis to become aware of his little problem with the sarcophagus and…although… something was different about these people, this place. 

"Hey, Daniel!" Jack started. "How you doing?" Silence met his ears. "I brought you a present from Janet." He put the glasses on the bed in front of Daniel and waited. After what seemed like an eternity he watched Daniel slowly reach out a hand, and touch the frames. Well at least it was a response, albeit a little one. 

That afternoon 

__

Why had the questioning stopped, why was no-one hurting him anymore, what was going on? What were they waiting for? He knew they were watching him, they were always watching him. But he’d been too clever for them. Earlier in the day he’d been given his glasses. He’d waited until he was alone, and had then carefully broken one of the lenses. He’d hidden the shard of glass under his pillow, and had put the glasses back on the table, lenses down. They weren’t going to hurt him anymore, he’d see to that, and if Apophis wasn’t prepared to finish it, then he’d do it himself. 

__

"Hey." A voice interrupted his thoughts. He looked over to the source of the voice. It was a woman, blonde, pretty. Sam, her name was Sam, he remembered. Or at least he remembered another Sam, in another place. "I brought you some of your favourite cookies, the food here in the infirmary is a little rough…" He felt a hand brush his face, and he turned away. "Daniel, please talk to me, it’s Sam, don’t you know me?" 

He reached his hand under his pillow, and pulled out the shard of glass, carefully concealing it in his hand. 

"Hey campers!" How’s it going?" Jack called out from the doorway. "Frasier thought it might be nice if we all went for a walk around the base, showed Daniel his office, that sort of thing. What do you say, Daniel, you want to get out of this room for a while? We might even make it topside." Teal’c arrived with a wheelchair, and Jack reached out to pick up Daniel’s glasses. He noticed the broken lens. "Daniel?" he asked, a chill running through him. 

Daniel saw that Jack had noticed the broken lens, and quickly jumped off the bed, and ran towards the open door. 

"Teal’c!!" Jack yelled. The big man moved quickly to the door, and grabbed Daniel. The younger man began to struggle. Jack spotted the piece of glass in Daniel’s hand, and watched in horror as the young archaeologist tried to bring his hands together in an attempt to cut his wrist. "He’s got something in his hand!" Jack ran over to where Teal’c held Daniel, and together they wrestled the younger man to the floor. "Carter, get Frasier!" he yelled. Carter ran from the room. Jack looked across at Daniel, held tight in Teal’c huge arms. The shard of glass lay between them on the floor. Jack picked it up and looked at it. 

"Christ Daniel!" Jack yelled angrily "what the hell were you trying to do? On second thoughts I know what you were going to do, but why for God’s sake? Nobody’s trying to hurt you, we’re your friends." 

"You are indeed among friends Daniel Jackson, you are at the SGC, you are safe, no-one is going to hurt you." 

"I know I can’t begin to know what you’re going through right now, Daniel." Jack continued. "But this isn’t the way, believe me, I know. Remember the sarcophagus? We got through that didn’t we? We can get through this too." Jack noticed the young archaeologist had stopped struggling and was looking at him. 

"Daniel?" he asked softly, moving closer to his friend "do you know me?" For the first time Daniel didn’t back away from him, but instead reached out a hand and touched Jack’s hair. "It’s OK big guy." Jack responded taking the now sobbing Daniel into his arms. "It’s OK…" 

At that moment Janet and Sam arrived. Janet was carrying a med-kit with her. She took in the scene in Daniel’s room, and knelt down beside Jack. Teal’c moved to stand next to Sam. 

"Colonel?" Janet asked hesitantly. 

"It’s OK, Janet, everything’s OK." Jack replied, fighting back his own tears. "He’s finally home." 

[Continue in [ Vengeance : Recovery ]](http://astele.co.uk/StargateFan/Chapter/Details/vengen3.htm)

  


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> Dedication: To my golden retriever Honey, 27th October 1987-23rd April 2001.  
> I love receiving e-mails from all round the world so any feedback is more than welcome.  
> 

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>   
> © January 2003 The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp.  
> The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters  
> who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names,   
> titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and   
> solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.   
> 

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